Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PC) Review

It was with great interest, then, that Cubed3 tackled Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Platinum's other most recent title. This time it was played on Steam, in its newest incarnation, including all of the previously-released DLC in one package. What did Cubed3 think? Bonkers, brilliant, engaging, fun, really lovely stuff. Worth every penny. Worth every minute. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the kind of game that any true gamer should enjoy. The gameplay is creative, with its Zandatsu slicing mechanics, and is well crafted, easy to control, smooth, and an overall joy to play.

What, haven't run off to buy it yet? Staying to hear more?

Alright, the soundtrack might be one of the best things since, well, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, which really wasn't that long ago, actually. However, believe it, it's great; crazy rock metal guitars blaring and silly, over the top lyrics that are perfectly fit for the boss fights they accompany. Voice acting is top notch, and fun to listen to, as well.

"But what about the downside?" Don't be such a Debbie Downer, dear reader.

Instead, let's talk about how the game takes classic Metal Gear and makes it edible. Metal Gear Solid has a history of self-indulgent cut-scenes filled to the brim with overwrought, overthought socio-political musings. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's greatest accomplishment is in taking all of Metal Gear Solid's themes, cutting the fat, and creating a tight, coherent, compelling story.

Simmered down to the basics, denied its self-indulgent cut-scenes that run for two hours straight, Metal Gear Rising's askew take on world politics and military issues is interesting stuff. It's satisfying, if sometimes irreverent, and it concludes on a truly human moral.

It helps that the game plays brilliantly, as already mentioned (but it's worth mentioning again, because it really is). Again, thinned down, denied any bloat, the game moves along at a good speed. While "six hours" doesn't make a good bullet point on the PR list, it does make for a well-paced, fun game.

Add in the fact that the game is highly, highly replayable, and rewards the player for doing so. That's not taking into account the well-crafted VR missions, which do not factor into that "six hours to finish" stat.

As with the story, it's to Rising's credit that it takes "Metal Gear" and fits it well into its own unique gameplay aesthetic. Stealth is in and oddly rewarding, though not necessary. Sneaking around in a cardboard box? Of course. Optional radio communication is there, as well. It all feels very "Solid Snake"; though, at the same time, it does not, because this is definitely Raiden's ultra-slasher action adventure—a Platinum Games-type brawler.